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Gray International

Museum of the History of Poland project guidelines

Project guidelines

Our project is based on two main ideas. The first one derives from a reflection on the history of Poland and how it should never be portrayed in isolation from the history of Europe. Poland has always been an important part of Europe and our history has both resulted from and affected the history of other European nations. Tools are not enough to ensure that the mission of the Museum of History of Poland proves effective – the planned multi-media nature of the display is a move towards the modern viewer, but it can never supplant a clear and consistent idea that introduces order to the museum and its relations with the surroundings. Our proposal goes beyond creating a new building for the Museum of the History of Poland – we think it should be complemented by a Museum of the History of Europe, to be housed in the Ujazdowski Castle. These two buildings would be linked by a shared hallway, descending underneath the surface of the square as if it were a common spring from which the rivers of history flow. Since history is a time travel, we have incorporated a symbolic time axis in the square in front of the museum – main events in Polish and European history will lead visitors from Plac na Rozdrożu square (which we think should be renamed to Plac Europy – Europe Square) towards the east – that is, towards the future and also the museum.
The other idea revolves around quality. In times when cities suffer from a shortage of public space, we have made it the carrier of our project’s quality. By using the natural topography of the area, we have created a two-level square – unique thanks to its scale and two-layered layout. The upper square stretches from the current Plac na Rozdrożu to the entrance to the museums, and forms a representative area which thus far has never been imagined for this location and on such a scale. Its dimensions (200 m x 400 m) and location make it an ideal place for all sorts of state ceremonies.
The lower amphitheatre-like square is soft and green, thus offering a natural space for relaxation. It will connect the whole project to the nearby greenery of the Łazienkowski Park, and on the other side it will be closed up by structures to be erected in the now empty space underneath the Trasa Łazienowska motorway – in a similar fashion to Arkady Kubickiego by the Royal Castle. The newly created spaces can house different widely accessible functions related to museum activity, such as shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes, which will naturally complement the new public space to be created in this part of the city.
Our project features covering the Trasa Łazienkowska expressway from Plac na Rozdrożu to the Museum of the History of Poland, and building a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists around its length from the Museum till the end of the lower square. This bridge would resemble a seashore pier with a sea of greenery underneath, and would open up a wonderful new perspective of the Pałac na Wodzie (Palace on the Water) in the Łazienkowski Park. It would also allow a view of the entire facade of the new architectural solution created by the Museum of the History of Poland and Ujazdowski Castle. Without this new viewpoint, the new facade will only be visible to people in cars on the expressway. Covering the expressway along an additional section, as proposed in our project, will also eliminate the adverse effects of heavy traffic on the Museum of the History of Poland, such as noise and air pollution.
Two squares with a 22-metre difference in elevation, connected for the purpose of function and circulation by Agrykola street and the new shared entrance hall to the two museums, are complementary structures in terms of functionality – one is intended more for the community, the other for the individual. The upper square leads to the main, official entrance to the museums, while the lower square leads to an alternative entrance for school trips and organized groups of visitors to Łazienkowski Park. Another entrance for organized groups arriving by bus is located at the level of the underground car-park, housed underneath the new upper square. The shared main entrance leads visitors directly to the main level of the exhibitions in the Museum of the History of Poland and of Europe.
The Museum of the History of Poland, together with the Museum of the History of Europe, will not only allow a look into the past, but also into the processes governing culture and civilization. This educational aspect will be invaluable. We have expressed the same mission in the form of the time axis in the Europe Square, which provides a palpable connection between this representative place and the continuity of history. This continuity is both historical, in terms of present events being linked with the past, but also geopolitical – how the events in our country are interconnected with the history of our neighbours near and far. Just as the dual mission of the museum involves a homage to history and general educational activity, our time axis similarly accords with the historical architectural axis originating from the times of king Stanisław August Poniatowski. It is even further emphasized by the layout of the lower square, thus adding to the educational qualities of the location.
By situating two buildings – the modern Museum of the History of Poland and the Museum of the History of Europe in Ujazdowski Castle – at 2009 mark on the time axis, we emphasize that what is new and future-oriented can co-exist harmoniously with our achievements and identity, which is what we want to preserve to better understand the direction of our journey.